Hold on to your Teabags

Teabag protests are breaking out all over the country as Obama's support dips. And everything else that actually happened today.

First, let's look at news that slipped under the radar with the AIG debacle:

Secretary Gates has signaled an end to Stop-loss policy in the Military - this means that the military is actually going to start upholding its contract with military personnel regarding the length of their duty and will pay those it must hold an additional stipend for extended duty.

The GIVE act passes - Almost perfectly along partisan lines, but this legislation has moved out of the House to reauthorize and reform national service laws.

The RNC has seen a dip in Fundraising - But not in a really significant way suggesting that Michael Steele has had no real effect, or rather no overwhelming effect on RNC fundraising.

Attorney General Eric Holder makes a couple big announcements - including a shift in position on marijuana prosecution and a consideration of lessening regulation of anti-trust laws for newspapers.

The Pope says no to condoms while en route to Africa

Gay Rights Ban Signed by U.S. - So while we are debating the legality of it here in the United States, we are proud to say it's not okay to discriminate gays if you're not the U.S.

But most of these stories were overshadowed by the stories surrounding AIG and CEO Liddy's testimony regarding the bonuses that have now been paid out. Of course there are great stories that are riding along with the AIG mess including the new chic teabagging that is happening around the country which will culminate on April 15th. The Nationwide Tax Day Tea Party organized by New American Tea Party promises to be a very interesting event as we have already seen instances of people teabagging their local water sources in protest. These teabaggers are getting quite the media coverage for their antics. Bob Cesca, has published a fantastic little explanation of why that is a little funny.

It is always interesting to me when groups of people get together to throw little protests like throwing tea into the river because they don't agree with the administration. Just a quick question: Do you think throwing tea into a body of water is going to get your Representative or Senator to change their minds? As though they are sitting in their office on Capitol Hill going, "My goodness, my constituents sure have dumped a lot of tea into Lake __. I better ask Liddy questions harder before they get really angry."

This situation with AIG and Bank of America and all of the other banks is a real tragedy and those on the Hill and in the White House are working really hard to fix the problem. You dumping tea into the Potomac is not going to fix it. Neither is mailing it to the White House. And your protests are going to lead to panic, which as I explained yesterday, is exactly what we DO NOT NEED in this crisis. So let the boys and girls in D.C. do their work to try to solve this issue and stop protesting. You're not helping the matter any.

Obama came out with a very measured response to this ridiculousness on the Hill and ya'll should take a hint from him. It's time to take a little responsibility and get through this, not point fingers and whine.

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Today's Quote
"Though dissenters seem to question everything in sight, they are actually bundles of dusty answers and never conceived a new question."
- Eric Hoffer, Reflections on the Human Condition (1973)

The RNC's New Bag. NOT!

RNC Chairman Michael Steele tossed about like rag doll. Meanwhile, conservative entertainer Rush Limbaugh continues to spew extreme values.

It's time for a little disclosure. I am a pretty strong Democrat. And by that I mean that I have worked in Democratic politics for a couple of years now and I want everyone to know before reading this that I may display a slant to this opinion. Please note: there is a slant to all opinion

Rush Limbaugh. You are the undisputed king of the Conservative movement. Please continue your ranting tirades through the airwaves. Please continue to spew your hyper-conservative grumblings and point your finger at those who mock you from centrist or just left of centrist (and even sometimes just right of centrist) viewpoints. More fuel for the fire baby!

Has anyone in the RNC considered that maybe Michael Steele is what you need for this party right now? You have elected a leader that wants to broaden the base of your supporters, thereby increasing your electability and your response is that Conservatives will not donate to the RNC?

So, what? Your small group of conservatives (current polls putting you at about 25% of the country) are going to elect individual's with a majority? Yeah, last time I checked majorities in a two candidate system need 50% + 1. With a third candidate, you'll need at least 34%. Sounds like ya'll are gonna get a little screwed.

I am a strong Democrat and I believe that the Democratic Party's platform falls in line with my own beliefs. But I want another party in this country. I think that both the Democrats and the Republicans have widened their platforms to accept more of the electorate and I wish that my party would lean a little bit more to the left, just as you, Mr. Limbaugh, want the Republicans to lean to the right. But that can't happen before a strong third party assumes the vacuum of elections or else your opposition will defeat you. Besides the partisan issues, then an even larger part of this country will be unrepresented in politics.

But maybe that's what it will take for the 35% or so of you out there that have no party affiliation to come together and start fighting the two poles of politics in the United States instead of whining that you don't fit into a party.

So the Opinion:
1. Get rid of Steele - He's making you electable and likable;
2. Swing further to the right - As long as you have a minority in opinion polls and are being referred to as "in exhile" you should definitely not consider making your party more palatable as that would cause people to agree with you;
and 3. Where's our third party? - I thought we might get a third party but I suppose the two are entertaining enough that a third would actually make politics serious in this country and people would actually get to vote on candidates they agreed with.

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Today's Political Thought
According to FEC Guidelines, a minor party must receive 5% or more of the total vote in a presidential election to be eligible to receive public funding for the next presidential election.